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Join me at the BBC Summer of Wildlife day - WWT London Wetland Centre

June 7, 2013, 10:23 am
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I've been invited back to the WWT London Wetland Centre to join BBC presenter Kate Silverton and Springwatch cameraman Jack Perks, at the BBC Summer of Wildlife Day on June 30th. 

 More than 20 organisations are taking part in the event, with experts on hand from The Bat Conservation Trust, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation Trust and the Field Studies Council. Jack Perks will give tips on how to photograph wildlife, and I'll be sharing some of my personal highlights from filming natural history around the world.  

I hope to see some of you there.  
 


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A Great TV weekend: Wild, Operation Snow Tiger & Rise of the Continents

June 7, 2013, 3:02 pm
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Three not-to-be missed series starting this weekend.

9am Saturday morning CBBC: Wild
Join Naomi Wilkinson, Tim Warwood and Radzi Chinyanganya on a WILD adventure filled with wild animals and extreme sports around the UK!


8pm Sunday BBC 2: Operation Snow Tiger 
The Siberian tiger is one of Earth's rarest and most elusive animals, with as few as 300 remaining. It is so rare, more scientists have been to space than have seen one in the wild. In this series a team of scientists travel to Russia to uncover the hidden world of this mysterious predator, determine why they are declining and what can be done to save them.


Stick on BBC2 for Rise of the Continents at 9pm
The Earth’s continents are instantly recognizable. These iconic landmasses seem permanent and unchanging, yet they are merely the wreckage of a much larger long-lost supercontinent – Pangaea. In this stunning four part series Professor Iain Stewart uncovers the evidence for this ancient past.  He reveals how the world around us is full of clues – in the rocks, the landscapes and even the animals. All of which tell us how the land we live on was created.


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Bird-Killer or Cuddly Companion? - See the secret life of the common cat #Horizon

June 13, 2013, 3:49 am
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Thursday 13th June, BBC2, 9pm

There are over 10 million roaming the UK. To some they are manipulative, red-eye-inducing, garden-defecating, bird-killers. To others they are cute, cuddly and characterful companions. This evenings episode of Horizon promises to provide a fascinating insight into the world of the common cat. 

To uncover what they get up to when they leave the home, 50 cats in the Surrey village of Shamley Green were put under 24-hour surveillance using GPS collars and specially designed cat-cams. 

"In many ways, scientists know more about the roaming behaviour of big cats in Africa than they do about our own pets which is why Horizon was so excited to work with the Royal Veterinary College on this ambitious experiment." Helen Sage, Producer, Horizon



“Cats are still evolving and probably will still evolve into the future. They are becoming much more pet-like animals and will lose some of the wild instincts because many of those things don’t actually serve them very well in the 21st century” Dr John Bradshaw


An interactive map lets you follow the GPS trails of 10 of the cats featured in the Horizon programme. (click on the image below)

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If you thought Frack was something said on Battlestar Galactica then think again - it's the New Energy Rush! #Horizon

June 19, 2013, 6:39 am
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If you thought Fracking was just something Commander Adama said as he realised his best mate was a Cylon, then think again... 

In tonights episode of Horizon Iain Stewart investigates a new and controversial energy rush for the hard-to-get-to natural gas found deep underground, it might even be under your house. Getting it out of the ground involves hydraulic fracturing - or fracking, the process of drilling and injecting fluid at high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks and release the gas. It's fraught with environmental issues but some believe that it could be a game changer for the energy industry. Iain travels to America to find out what lessons have been learned from 50 years of fracking and over million wells. He meets some of the people who have become fracking rich as well as the communities worried about the fracking risks.

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On an island far, far away... Ewan McGregor takes us to the Hebrides

July 11, 2013, 2:59 am
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BBC2, 9pm, Thursday 11th July

Puffins in peril, basking sharks, seal pups and romping hares... more action than you can shake a lightsaber at! Accompanied by the soft scottish tones of Ewan McGregor, 'Hebrides - island on the edge' gives a privileged view into the lives of wonderful animals, on an island far, far away...

BBC programme page       maramedia programme page

As @McGregor_Ewan tweeted  ...
"One of the most beautiful films I’ve seen" "Beautiful footage of these beautiful isles."


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Mournful faces in a lost city of stone - Isle of Portland

July 13, 2013, 2:25 am
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After the steep climb up from Chesil Beach, on the Isle of Portland, we discovered an overgrown ancient city riddled with a labyrinth of crumbling streets. This is the abandoned Tout Quarry, an 18th century quarry that provided stone for many of the most famous buildings in London including Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral.

The air was still and silent, the occasional butterfly fluttered past. As we explored the giant blocks and quarry walls I started to notice faces staring out at me, mournful faces - I couldn't help but think of Pompeii. These are just a few of the sculptures and carvings that have adorned the barren rock faces here since the quarry became a sculpture park in 1983. Apparently there's now more than 70 sculptures and carvings ranging from flowers to dinosaurs, but the fun is trying to find them. Be careful though - it's easy to get lost and we didn't see anyone else all day. Here's a few of the ones that we found and you can see more of my pics in my Flickr set.

More information on the stone carving in Tout Quarry

  A quarry street where the portland stone has been removed
A 'Pompeiian' face stares out from a fallen block
Skull amongst the rocks
'Window' by Justin Nichol
Mournful Man
Dry Stone Archway connecting two sections of the quarry
Representation of a Baroque garden (by Shelagh Wakely)
'Fallen Fossil' by Stephen Marsden
 
'Still Falling' by Antony Gormley 
"Working with stone is a fine job. Working on stone in a quarry is a challenge. You have to consider the material as part of the place, as part of the earth"

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Out of the office: Volcanoes, Ancient Temples, Dust Desert & a Chicken Church!

July 31, 2013, 11:31 pm
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I'm currently out of the office filming volcanoes in Java. I'll be back in early August.
Here's a few of my tweets and Flickr iPhone photos...

 "Glorious morning timelapsing the twin volcanoes of Merapi-Merbabu, Java #BBCMonsoon"
"Gotta love Volcanoes! Our dusty cinematographic playground for #BBCMonsoon :-)"
"Going to miss this view but not the volcanic dust! About to head to another incredible location for #BBCMonsoon"
"Another amazing morning timelapsing the foggy caldera around Bromo #Volcano, Java. #BBCMonsoon #BBCNature"
 "Just hanging out in the Sea of Sand waiting for timelapse magic to happen #Java #BBCMonsoon"
"Steaming jungly sunrise from the hills surrounding Borobudur."
"Abandoned Giant Chicken Church! Found in the forest whilst exploring for Borobudur view point this morning. Wow!"
Inside the abandoned Chicken Church! Chicken Cult? Failed KFC restaurant? Bizarre & freaky.


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Why wildlife TV needs conservationists & Exploring Earth - my latest contributions to #BareEssentials Magazine

August 5, 2013, 12:14 am
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My latest contribution to Bare Essentials Magazine has just been published and includes 21 of my images from around the world. In this edition I speak about how I found myself in one of the most exciting jobs in the world, and how it is the inspiring people and organisations who work at the forefront of conservation that make natural history TV possible.

"I am privileged to be able to work with extraordinary people who commit their lives to understanding and saving wildlife. What they have in common is a guiding sense of responsibility and a passion for natural history - something that I share with them. I believe it to be a necessary prerequisite for wildlife filmmakers."

This months edition also features contributions from some of the worlds top Bear scientists and photographers including Chris Morgan who sees bears as "the perfect manifestation of wilderness" and Wildlife Cameraman Doug Allan remembering his first Polar Bear encounter on Baffin Island in 1988.

Read the magazine and see the images here

Bare Essentials combines adventure lifestyle topics with wildlife conservation and environmental science – providing unique insight from adventurers, photographers, scientists, explorers and world experts on a variety of inspirational, innovative and vital topics. Read more here.




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Chris in Wonderland - Meet the Burrowers: Animals Underground

August 15, 2013, 9:53 am
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The Burrowers, BBC Two, 9pm Friday 15th August.

Alice stand aside! Chris Packham enters a specially built rabbit hole to explore the real wonderland of burrowing British mammals, including badgers, voles, rabbits and moles. 

Photo: BBC

The team were able to capture intimate views of family life for some of Britain's best loved, and least understood, species. The resulting footage revealed previously unknown insights: from where water voles locate their latrines to how unrelated badgers establish social bonds.

In the past, underground filming has been limited by natural conditions. The lack of light forced filmmakers to use infra-red cameras that only produced black and white footage, for example. The claustrophobic nature of underground dwellings also makes it difficult to follow animals without disturbing them.

The filmmakers overcame these challenges by consulting with zoo architects, model makers and experts in underground species, then building artificial burrows based on those found in the wild

Read more here and see cute photos of animals asleep in their burrows here
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Britain's Big Wildlife Revival starts today!

August 18, 2013, 2:13 am
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Britain's Big Wildlife Revival, BBC One, Sunday 18th August, 5:35pm.

Conservationists have predicted that, without help, some of Britain’s most iconic species are severely threatened and may even face extinction in Britain within our lifetimes. In June BBC wildlife magazine ran a poll to find Britain's National Species - after an overwhelming response the Hedgehog won, followed by the Badger.

Now Britain’s Big Wildlife Revival takes on the mantle to bring together some of the BBC’s most respected wildlife experts to highlight the plight of Britain’s most at-risk animals.

Hosted by countryfile presenter Ellie Harrison the 6 part series challenges experts to save some of Britain's most endangered species. Each week three guest presenters will champion a wild creature they want to bring back from the brink. 

“I’m a country girl and I’ve always loved the British countryside and its wildlife. Now I want us all to join together to learn more about the wonderful habitats that sometimes we can take for granted, but also for people to get passionate about helping to preserve the animals and wildlife that that mean so much to us, and the places where they live.” - Ellie Harrison 


Ben Fogle champions the near-extinct hedgehog, Bill Oddie highlights the plight of the puffin, Philippa Forrester on how to save the kingfisher and Miranda Krestovnikoff championing white-clawed crayfish and the bottlenose dolphin. Other rare creatures featured include the red squirrel, Scottish wildcat, greater horseshoe bat as well as the once common – but now in decline – house sparrow and water vole. The series also wants to encourage viewers to get involved to save habitats and provide refuges for the animals featured in the series, Mike Dilger will be on hand with advice on how to turn our own gardens into wildlife havens.



 More information can be found on the Summer of Wildlife website bbc.co.uk/summerofwildlife
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On #WorldOrangutanDay remember that you are 96.4% Orangutan

August 19, 2013, 5:00 pm
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It's World Orangutan Day today and it was the perfect opportunity for me to log our rushes from a recent film shoot in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, where we spent some quality time following a few of our charismatic cousins. I can't wait for the sequence to be broadcast. 

I can't yet reveal too much about what we've filmed but here's one of my favourite photo's of a Sumatran orangutan with her baby, and another of a large male Bornean orangutan that I took at Semenggoh Nature Reserve last year. It's important to remember that these are different species and efforts need to be made to save both.

I'll let you know when we broadcast, which will be on BBC2 in the UK sometime in 2014. 

Find out more about World Orangutan Day here

Female Orangutan and child, Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra

The Sumatran orangutan is endemic to the island of Sumatra, Indonesia where its population has decreased by 86% over the past 100 years. The most recent estimate (Wich et al, 2008) is that less than 6624 Sumatran orangutan still survive in the wild - this is decreasing every year. The loss of forest cover is the main cause of this decline. Between 1985 and 1997 61% of the forest in Sumatra was lost due to logging, infrastructure development, internal migration, and plantation development. The Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered and is listed as one of the twenty-five most endangered primates in the world (IUCN, 2006). Find out more about what is being done to save this enchanting species visit the Sumatran Orang-utan Society
Male Orangutan at Semenggoh Nature Reserve, Sarawak, Borneo

The Bornean orangutan is endemic to the island or Borneo and while this species is more common than the Sumatran Orangutan, they too are becoming increasingly endangered due to habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade. The total wild population is estimated to be about 54,500 individuals in the wild, less than 14% of what it was in middle of the 20th century.

I've photographed this species in many places across Sarawak and Sabah including rehabilitated individuals at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and Semenggoh Nature Reserve, as well as wild individuals at Niah National Park and Danum Valley, where there is a healthy population protected by the large conservation areas. Find out more about what is being done to save the Borneon Orangutan by visiting The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS).
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Inflate your Bee Beard ready for Ultimate Swarms #BBCOne

August 22, 2013, 7:54 am
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Ultimate Swarms, Monday 26th, 9pm, BBC One

It's time to inflate your beard of bees as Professor George McGavin get's down with some of the world's most impressive swarms. 

It's not just the insects that get George buzzing as he becomes part of these natural spectacles. From hanging out in the caves of New Mexico as 10 million bats make their nocturnal exodus to crawling with 60 million crabs as they march through the forest of Christmas island, and dodging carp as they leap out of the water in Illinois. By getting right to the heart of these natural events, he finds out why swarms are the ultimate solution to surviving against all odds and discovers how unlocking the secrets to how animals swarm could be crucial to understanding our own increasingly crowded lives. 

Inflatable Beard of Bees - for those prone to Anaphylaxis

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#BBCMonsoon call out for time-lapse photographers - Help us to reveal the Monsoon

September 1, 2013, 7:21 am
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Calling Timelapse Photographers in India and SE Asia

As you may know I have spent much of the past couple of years filming a major BBC Natural History TV series called 'Monsoon'. The story of how the greatest weather system on Earth influences wildlife, landscape and civilisation across a huge swathe of the Earth - from the Himalayas to Northern Australia.

To reveal the power of the weather we need to make a truly spectacular feature of it  and this is one of the greatest challenges that we face, simply because it's so difficult to have crews in the right place at the right time. So we are calling upon the talents of the creative photographic community to help us in our aim to create the ultimate portrayal of the Asian Monsoon. 

Know someone who fits the following description? Please re-tweet & share.

We are primarily looking for high end photographers who live/ work/ travel in this region and produce beautiful weather time-lapses - is this you? 

Do you have powerful time-lapses of weather taken over India, SE Asia or Northern Australia? - storms, lightning, rain, floods. Clouds passing over spectacular landscapes (with or without signs of human life), shadows fading in and out across a sunlit scene,  sunrises and sunsets over mountains and plains, the sky in motion over temples and towns? 

If you feel that it portrays the eternal relationship between landscape and weather then we would love to hear from you.

Simply send a link to your video online and we'll be in touch. 

If your time-lapse is used then it will be seen by millions of people, not just in the UK but also around the world, and if your contribution is deemed to be a significant creative contribution to the programme, you will be credited. 

Re fees: These will be modest… and will be negotiated on an individual basis with the producers of the series.



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Wow! 10 years ago today I was filming this giant ammonite in Lyme Regis.

September 3, 2013, 11:56 am
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I'm currently filming in Sri Lanka for 'Monsoon' and I just realised that 10 years ago today I was in Lyme Regis at the very start of my TV adventure. I was on my first shoot filming giant ammonites for 'Journey of Life' - I haven't changed much!

Giant ammonite replica, Lyme Regis

My childhood passion was mostly for extinct and long-dead creatures. I was fascinated by fossils, having discovered my first ammonite on a Yorkshire beach when I was 8 years old. 15 years later, and after many more adventures in palaeontology, a chance opportunity arose when my CV landed on the right desk at the right time. A new BBC wildlife series called ‘Journey of Life’ was commissioned to explore evolution, and a palaeontologist was needed to do the research. Now I had to prove myself, and the first task was to find a location to film ammonites. A few days later I was on my first TV shoot heading to Britain’s Jurassic coast, where I had spent many months as undergraduate. My adventures in television had begun.

This giant ammonite was actually a replica that we used to show how big ammonites could grow. Made of polystyrene it squeaked as we rolled it down the beach. The look of gob-smack on the faces of jurassic coast fossil collectors was priceless!
Paul Williams and presenter Steve Leonard, Lyme Regis
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Raising Rob - The world's cutest baby palm squirrel

September 23, 2013, 2:39 pm
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Read the article about me and Rob, an orphaned baby palm squirrel that I raised whilst filming in Sri Lanka for a BBC wildlife series. The article was published in Mail Online on 17th September and it spawned many more articles and TV appearances around the world. Rob is now one of the most famous squirrels on the planet and my images of him have been seen by millions of people. This is Rob's story.

Rawr! Little Rob gets his voice as he prepares to take on the world.

I've now been in Sri Lanka for 3 weeks filming leopards and ancient temples for a BBC2 wildlife series called Monsoon. Two weeks ago, at 3am, we came back from our night shift filming in Wilpatu national park, and there in the dark was Rob the baby palm squirrel laying on the floor of the hotel car park. At first I thought he was dead but then I noticed a little twitch. I scooped up his weak and cold body and warmed him in my hands. I presumed that he had either fallen out of the nest, or had been kicked out by a sibling. My first hope was to reunite him with his mother. I put him into a secure spot as high as I could in the tree that I presumed he had fallen from. I covered him in a layer of tissue to help him keep warm and I waited. I had hoped that mum would be looking for him and would hear his little squeaks but by morning he was still there.
 9th Sept: "Cute baby Sri Lankan Palm Squirrel fell out of its nest. I've put him higher for mum to find. Keeping watch..."

I named him Rob after a colleague who had found himself in a difficult predicament on the same day.
The crew and I searched the area for any sign of a nest or other palm squirrels, but we didn't spot any. We then used our thermal camera which we are using to spot and film nocturnal animals in the park. It's great for showing warm patches where little animals are nesting. Unfortunately it showed us no thermal hotspots in any of the trees where Rob could have come from. I couldn't just leave him. He would have died if I hadn't have found him and so he became an honorary part of the crew.
 10th Sept: "Rob the orphaned baby Sri Lankan palm squirrel so tiny in my palm"
 10th Sept: "Rob the orphaned baby palm squirrel clinging to my finger - he's a lot more active today."
10th Sept "Rob the orphaned baby Sri Lankan palm squirrel seems to love sleeping in my shirt pocket "
11th Sept: "Rob explores! Hard to believe that this baby palm squirrel barely had any energy when I found him."

Feeding Rob
I've worked at animal rescue centres in the United States and I've helped to rehabilitate and reintroduce animals back to the wild. I knew the commitment that I was making. I consulted squirrel care guides online (this one was particularly useful) and then I started Rob on a dilute solution of salt and sugar to make sure that he was hydrated. I carved up a dust blower that we use for cleaning our camera sensors and used that to suck up and drip the water to him.

After a couple of days I had found a plastic syringe and moved to feeding him baby formula - which is common in this part of the world for feeding young babies. I'd read that milk was really bad for baby squirrels so I avoided that.

I know when he's had enough to drink because he squeaks and shakes head as if to say 'no more'.

12th Sept: "Feeding Rob the baby palm squirrel his breakfast"
12th Sept: "A big day for Rob the baby palm squirrel - I think it's for his bed. Tomorrow his eyes may be open for the first time".
12th Sept: "And here's Rob in seemingly his fave place - my shirt pocket! Orange baby squirrel poo stains included."
13th Sept: "Rob the baby palm squirrel is still tiny but he's quickly putting weight on"

Life amongst the crew
It's not the smoothest of worlds to grow up in as we are often travelling large distances in vehicles packed and loaded with kit, and we spend all day - and much of the night - in the field. I'm concerned about monkeys and stray dogs getting hold of him and so I tend to keep him in my breast pocket during the day so that I can keep him warm and feed him regularly. Occasionally he pops his head out, takes a peek and then snuggles back down. He started to show celebrity potential when tourists at the temples started paying him more attention then the ancient site that they had come to see.

Since he opened his eyes he's also become much more active and he doesn't like being in his box. He's jumped out more than once and to my surprise he ran straight into my hands where he curled up and fell straight asleep. He seems to be content and most relaxed when he's in the warmth of my hand, he squeaks and gently nibbles my fingers. Holding something so fragile isn't ideal when I'm trying to work! He also enjoys climbing on our cameras and sleeping in the most precarious of positions. I'm constantly watching out to make sure that he's safe. Rob is the most adorable creature that I have ever known, so cute, so precious.
13th Sept: "Rob slowly opens his eyes as the goggle eyed Yapahuwa dragon looks on"


Now that Rob the baby palm squirrel has opened his eyes he seems keen to study my camera settings.
And after all that studying Rob the baby palm squirrel is asleep on the job again!
14 Sept: Rob sleeping on the job again! It's an easy life when you're an extremely cute celebrity squirrel.
 Waiter! there's a squirrel in my tea' Cuppa & a nap for Rob the baby palm squirrel.
15th Sept: 'Tea cup carriage for Rob the baby Sri Lankan palm squirrel.
Rob in squirrel training - using me as a tree! He's starting to get very active
16th Sept "It's good to stretch! Rob the orphan baby palm squirrel at ancient Kuttam Pokuna Baths, Sri Lanka 
16th Sept: "Baby squirrel Rob snug in my hand. Apparently it's like the cosiness of the nest but it makes it difficult for me... 
17th Sept: "Rob the growing baby palm squirrel & I ready for another big Sri Lanka day."
17th Sept: "Goodnight Rob! The cutest baby palm squirrel all curled up my hand."
18th Sept: "Rob the orphaned palm squirrel may be turning into a teenager sooner than expected!"
18th Sept: "Little Rob the palm squirrel guarding our valuable Sri Lankan film rushes."
19th Sept: "Rob the orphaned baby squirrel prefers to be 'on camera'."
20th Sept: "Rob the cute baby palm squirrel discovers the comfort of the fluffy."
 20th Sept: "Little Rob the orphaned squirrel meets the Vatadage Buddah..."
20th Sept: "...and then falls asleep in Buddha's hands!"
21st Sept: "Rob in baby squirrel training preparing for a life back in the wild." My hand is always close by ready to catch him but I can't make it too easy if he is to develop and grow strong. A pampered squirrel isn't a long lived one.
21st Sept: "and ofcourse, after a bit of training Rob the baby squirrel takes a nap!"
21st Sept: "...and stretch. Rob the baby squirrel wakes up!"

21st Sept: "Little Rob knows who the real gaffer is"
"Peekaboo!"
22nd Sept: "Baby squirrel Rob's little smile. Still enjoying the warmth from our film rushes drive."
22nd Sept: "Baby squirrel Rob asleep at the wheel..."

When I get him out of his box in the morning he stretches, yawns and sticks his tongue out - a most adorable wake up to the world.
22nd Sept: "Each morning when I take Rob out of his box he starts the day with a cute stretch & yawn."
22nd Sept: "Rob the growing baby squirrel is getting more curious by the day. See - he is active sometimes!!"
23rd Sept: ""Wonder what this bit does" Rob the squirrel checks out our magical time-lapse machine!"

Rob's Future
Soon I return to the UK. My aim was to fatten Rob up, get him strong and then find a solution for releasing him. I can't bring him home, as much as I'd love to try. It would be best to be able to reintroduce him back to the wild.

Today I'll return Rob close to where I found him near Wilpatu national park. There's a hotel which has a large number of habituated palm squirrels that come to raid the tables when people leave breakfast. Here they're tolerated, there's plenty of food and there are trusted people who are experienced with caring for abandoned baby squirrels before slowly releasing them. 

In almost 2 weeks I've raised a healthy little squirrel and it's been a pleasure to have Rob join the crew. I'll miss my little friend and cherish the time that we spent together.

Rob seems sad to be saying goodbye.
But a growing squirrel has plenty more adventures ahead. Sooner or later a little squirrel longs to be wild... or at-least free to raid hotel restaurants when people have left breakfast!


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The worlds cutest vampire - The Spectral Tarsier #CuteoftheDay

November 3, 2013, 4:54 am
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#CuteoftheDay - The Spectral Tarsier. What's cuter than 1 tarsier in a tree? 2 tarsiers - the worlds smallest primate.


I took this photograph at the famous tarsier tree in Tangkoko, Sulawesi. Resembling a cross between a gremlin and a tiny koala, the spectral tarsier emerges before dusk and spends the night jumping from tree to tree on the hunt for food. It has eyes larger than its brain, a head that can rotate 180 degrees, ears that can detect the twitch of an insect from as far as 10 metres away, extended 'tarsus' leg bones to enable it to pounce up to 40 times the length of its body, and vampirish teeth for stabbing and crunching invertebrate prey.


 Inside a tarsier tree. The hanging, tangled roots of the fig provide plenty of places for tarsiers to hide during the day.
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Rama and Rob the baby squirrel - How the squirrel got it's stripes.

November 8, 2013, 12:46 pm
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An adaptation of the Hindu tale Rama and the squirrel...
featuring Rob the baby palm squirrel!


Many years ago the 10 headed demon king Ravana kidnapped Sita, the wife of Lord Rama and took her to the island of Lanka.


To rescue her Rama visited the temples and the mountains to enlist the help of the bears and monkeys of the Varana army.


Shouting with excitement, and happy to be helping Rama, the monkeys and bears ran around, looking for the biggest stones they could find. They carried huge boulders, and even hills, on their shoulders, and dropped them into the ocean to build a bridge.




The smaller animals also wished to help Rama – the fish and the other sea creatures helped the boulders to rest in the right place, while the birds brought smaller rocks to fill the gaps.

The squirrels, too wished to help but the boulders were too big for them to move. 



Then Rob, a baby squirrel, had an idea. He started collecting small pebbles lying on the shore, and dropped them into the ocean. But after a while, he was too tired to even carry those tiny pebbles. He took a nap.


Whilst he was asleep he had a dream about how he could help.


When he woke he ran to the beach and rolled in the sand, he then ran to the water and washed himself. He ran back to the shore and rolled again, and more sand got stuck to him. Again he ran to the water to wash himself. The small grains of sand which stuck to his body were all he could contribute to the enormous task of building a bridge across the ocean but he was happy to be helping.

However, Rob rushing to and fro on the shore was now getting in the way of the monkeys who were carrying huge boulders, and they started shouting at him, asking him to get out of the way.


“Brothers, I too want to help. These small grains of sand are all I can throw into the ocean. Please do not shout at me” said Rob.

The monkeys laughed out aloud, and shouted, “Of what use are these tiny grains of sand, which can scarcely be seen among the huge boulders and hills we are bringing. Get out of the way and let us do our work!”

Rob was unperturbed, and continued rolling in the sand and washing it into the sea.

 Finally one of the monkeys, picked up Rob in anger and flung him far away from the shore.

Rama, who was watching this, caught Rob before he fell.


Rama then addressed the other animals  

“you are brave and strong, and are doing a wonderful job bringing all these huge boulders and stones from far and dropping them in the ocean. But did you notice that it is the tiny pebbles and stones brought by this small squirrel and some of the other smaller creatures which are filling the small gaps left between the huge stones? they bind the whole structure and make it strong? Yet you scold this small creature and fling him away in anger!”


Hearing this, the big animals were ashamed and embarrassed, they lowered their heads.

Rama continued, “Always remember, however small, every task is important and everyone who makes an effort should be appreciated!”

Rama then turned to Rob and said softly, “My dear squirrel, I am sorry for the hurt caused to you by my army, and thank you for the help you have rendered to me. Please go and continue your work happily.”

Saying this, he gently stroked Rob's back with his fingers, and three lines appeared where Lord Rama's fingers had touched it.


This is how Rob the palm squirrel got the 3 stripes on his back, as a blessing from Lord Rama, to remind us that everyone has a role to play and every contribution should be appreciated.


The bridge from India to Sri Lanka can still be seen from space. Whether it was built by a squirrel and an army of monkeys and bears, or formed through a natural geological process, is open to debate.



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Window on the world - Beautiful aerial images taken on commercial flights

November 13, 2013, 12:31 pm
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As a director of BBC Natural History films, I spend a lot of time flying around the world, and it isn't long before I've exhausted all of the onboard movies. To keep myself occupied I've taken to aerial photography. All of these images were taken through the windows on commercial flights. It's all down to a bit of planning and a lot of luck.

Somewhere over British Columbia

Before I arrive at the airport I think carefully about choosing my seat. I check out the path that the flight might take, consider which side will give me the best view, what time of day and where the sun will be, and most importantly make sure that I am as far away from the wing as possible - my favourite seat is a couple of rows from the back. 

Onboard, I wear dark clothes to limit my own reflection, clean the window with a damp cloth and then try to get a good angle through the cleanest spot - which often involves half standing and squashing my head to the glass. I'm very selective about what and when I photograph, and other than that it's mostly down to luck, weather and post production. 

I use Adobe Lightroom. There's always a blue haze but I remove much of that by increasing the blacks and contrast, and increasing clarity, sometimes to 100%. I decrease saturation on the blues and warm up the temperature. Usually I need a grad to darken the top of frame, the point furthest from me, as this is where the haze is most apparent. I've found that actual camera filters just don't work for this sort of shoot and so I use a digital grad and fix it in post. I also tend to sharpen the images by up to 40%. Finally, I clone out any marks resulting from shooting through a dirty window.

 Somewhere over New Mexico

Somewhere over Java

 Somewhere over The Alps

 Landing back in Britain

Australia from the air

My favourite continent to fly over is Australia. The sky is usually cloudless offering a clear view, it's often sunny and it's always spectacular. It's like flying over the surface of Mars and I find myself captivated by the vivid expressions of the underlying geology. Patterns of red and orange, dry lake beds and giant sand dunes. Australia is one of the oldest and most stable continental landmasses, the mountains have been worn down, much of the soil has been blow away, and with little vegetation able to survive in the arid red centre it reads like a living geological map. The folds and layers of the ancient sediments stretch out on one enormous flat canvas, dissected by ribbon-like rivers such as the Murchison, the countries second longest. You can fly for hours without seeing any sign of human life, but then slowly the landscape evolves.

From Mars to the Modern World

I recently flew from Alice Springs to Perth and as the red desert waned, the vast angular blocks of the wheat belt came into view, like a yellow chequer board stretching to the horizon. It covers 155,000 square kilometres, larger than the whole of England and only where ancient lakes are found does the land remain untamed. Scattered across this patchwork of monoculture are thousands of abandoned old quarries, like painpots, some blood red, others yolk yellow. As Perth drew closer the fields became smaller and houses started to appear, clustering closer and closer until I reached the modern world, the towering metropolis of downtown Perth on the banks of the Swan River.



'Desert Seed'. Dry for most of the year, it only takes a small amount of rain for these salt lakes to fill and become a magnet for life.





Uluru, at the geographical and spiritual heart of Australia. A rare monolith in an otherwise flat landscape.



Patterns of red and orange, dry lake beds and giant sand dunes. Australia is one of the oldest and most stable continental landmasses, the mountains have been worn down, much of the soil has been blow away, and with little vegetation able to survive in the arid red centre it reads like a living geological map. 


The giant parallel dunes of the Simpson desert - aligned with the path of the winds



'Desert Veins' - a dried river tributary resembles the veins on a leaf





The folds and layers of the ancient sediments stretch out on one enormous flat canvas, dissected by ribbon-like rivers such as the Murchison, the countries second longest. 



The wheat belt, like a yellow chequer board stretching to the horizon, covers 155,000 square kilometres.


'Earth's Footprint'. Only only where ancient lakes are found does vast area known as the wheat belt remain untamed.


'Desert Egg'. Scattered across this patchwork of monoculture are thousands of abandoned quarries, like paint-pots, some blood red, others yolk yellow. 




Perth drew nearer the fields became smaller and houses started to appear, clustering closer and closer. 



 The modern world, the towering metropolis of downtown Perth on the banks of the Swan River.
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Strange eyes in the desert - The domes of Iran's Dasht-e Kavir

December 22, 2013, 6:58 am
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I first read about the famous Salt Desert of Iran when I was a student 15 years ago, so when I realised that my recent flight back from Australia flew directly over this spectacular landscape I booked a window seat and hoped for a clear day. I was not disappointed.

Roughly 300 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Tehran lies Iran’s Dasht-e Kavir, or Great Salt Desert. From the air it is a mesmerising landscape of parallel and concentric lines which resemble the rings of jupiter, on the ground it is one of the hottest and driest places on earth. Dasht-e Kavir may be a desert now but these geological structures tell a tale of wetter times. Tens of millions of years ago, a salt-rich ocean occupied this region, surrounding a microcontinent in what is now central Iran. The subsequent evaporation of this ancient ocean left behind a layer of salt up to 7 kilometers (4 miles) thick. Salt has a fairly low density, and as layers of younger rock buried it — the salt slowly pushed up like a lava lamp, deforming the younger rock into domes. Wind and rain continue to wear away the top of the domes to expose them in cross-section, like slicing an onion, to reveal geological works of art that are particularly striking when seen from the air.

Factual Reference: Nasa. All images taken through a plane window by Paul Williams - unless stated.

'Desert Eye' - a salt dome in cross section (Paul Williams)

This is a NASA satellite image of the desert, I can identify some of the domes that I photographed.
USGS/NASA description: This image was acquired by Landsat 7’s Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) sensor on October 24, 2000. This is a false-color composite image made using infrared, green, and red wavelengths. Nasa Earth Observatory









Any ideas what the structure in the top left might be? Strangely I can't find it on Google maps.




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2013. Amazing People, Inspiring Places, Awesome Wildlife. Thank You #BBCMonsoon

January 1, 2014, 3:44 am
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